The common law and civil law systems are quite distinct in legal practices, principles and procedures. How government manages the difference has implications for the Cameroon Anglophone crisis.
Australia is the only Western democracy without some form of charter of rights legislated by parliament or entrenched in the constitution.
Lukas Coch/AAP
We have a serious deficit in legal protection for human rights in Australia, rights that have been in regression for 20 years. We need a legislated charter setting out the rights we care about.
Conservative lawmakers in dozens of U.S. states have raised fears that Islamic fundamentalists want to impose Sharia on Americans.
Reuters/David Ryder
There is no inherent tension between Islam and democratic values. Like any use of religion in politics, the application of Sharia as law depends on who is using it – and why.